Maitefa Angaza, a writer, editor, and filmmaker from Brooklyn, New York, has died after years of dedication to community and cultural empowerment as an influential journalist and spiritual leader.
Angaza’s family announced the news about the beloved journalist on Aug. 13, days after she died on Aug. 8. According to the late author’s official website, she will be missed as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and community member.
“In celebrating her life, her words and work are the best way to honor her,” the Angaza family shared in a statement.
“Not only was she book smart, but she also possessed an emotional, social, and spiritual intelligence…She took African culture and sisterhood seriously. She was a consummate connoisseur of art from the African diaspora and kept her sisterhood and others abreast of art exhibits, live music, theatre, dance, literary conferences, etc.”
The co-founder and High Priestess of the Afro-Kamitic spiritual organization Shrim Sa impacted the spiritual lives of many through her dedication to connecting individuals to their cultural roots. The cultural arts advocate produced notable projects that connected individuals to the rich history and contributions of the Black community. Her documentary, In Our Heads About Our Hair, explores self-identity and politics, and her Heads Up! A Soulful Celebration of Our HAIRitage event salutes Black heritage.
As a writer, she immersed herself in her reporting by producing investigative pieces, features, profiles, arts and book reviews for major publications, including Essence Magazine, Black Issues Book Review, The New York Amsterdam News, and Black Star News.
“You have to be a listener to be a journalist and an observer,” said Brenda Brunson-Bey, whose story was once “beautifully” told by Angaza on the front page of Our Time Press.
“I felt her humbleness. She knew I was there,” she said, according to the outlet. The storyteller has also served in several editorial roles for The City Sun, African Voices magazine, and Our Time Press. Angaza was deeply involved in the Kwanzaa principles she wrote about in her nonfiction book Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day. The literature pays homage to the holiday her family celebrated for over four decades.
Angaza was heavily invested in initiatives that reflected her legacy as a cultural curator. Her involvement and support towards their missions impacted organizations like Reel Sisters, Geb Hetep Wholistic Health Center, Nu Web Order, 500 Men Making A Difference, The Big Black Book, and The Black Track. She is the mastermind behind a plethora of influential content, blogs, newsletters, and marketing campaigns that have resonated with the community online.
According to Brunson-Bey, Angaza leaves behind sons who are continuing on her legacy in the arts. The family hasn’t specified the cause of death.
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